Foam Pillows

February 15, 2013

We talk primarily about neck pillows but this is a pillow I often use under my knees while sleeping: the Knee Elevator. This pillow helps to relieve any lower back tightness when sleeping on your back.

Just using your neck pillow actually helps quite a bit but try this out for additional support as well as relief.

November 30, 2012

Recently I came across a review for the arc4life cltraction pillow and I had to comment on it. Here is the review.

Solves my neck pain, is comfortable but loses shape/firmness at 12 months
I've been diagnosed with Military Neck and have been sleeping with a rolled up towel for a pillow to treat this as well as address the pain. I bought this pillow July 28, 2011 and have used it every night since then. Every night I had neck pain with any pillow, or rolled up towel, so when I first used this and had neck pain, it wasn't a concern to me.

Starting with the morning after the 2nd night, I noticed my neck pain had decreased and by the 5th day I was stunned to realize my pain had completely disappeared. It stayed away for 12 months and during that time I also had a dramatic increase in range of motion and a drastic reduction in headaches. I was thrilled!

At about 12 months, almost exactly, the pillow started to lose some firmness. I started to notice a very slow increase in neck pain. Now at about month 16 I've started to think about trying the rolled up towel again. That tells me its time to buy another pillow.

Prior to this pillow I used the same $20 pillow for 15 yrs, so I'm not crazy about the idea of spending $75/yr on a pillow. However, its certainly cheaper than chiropractor visits so I can't complain too much.

What I am going to do is try a different pillow (the Therapeutica Neck Pillow) that looks like its a bit more durable, link below. Its about the same price so there's no great risk in trying this. I'll update this review based on my experience with the below pillow to share my opinion as to which one I think is better.

My Two CentsEvery pillow has a shelf life. As with any other fiber neck pillow, the Arc4life Cervical traction Neck pillow is going to break down. If this pillow had MORE Stuffing in it, and was more dense, then definitely the pillow would last longer. That being said, with greater stuffing the pillow is going to be more firm, and thus less comfortable. Having a firm pillow can hinder ones ability to sleep and also to aid with military neck, herniated disc, and bulging disc in the neck. The pillow does come in a more firm level of support- but you have to buy that here: http://www.neckpainreliefkit.com/ExtraFIRMTractionPillow (it is a custom order, 25% more firm than the standard cltraction pillow). Firm pillows do not work for everyone, especially if you have ongoing neck pain and sensitivity in neck.

The therapeutica pillow is completely different- it will feel completely different than the arc4life cervical traction pillow as it is composed foam and the shape is completely different. The arc4life cltraction provides neck traction specifically geared for a patient with military neck or other neck conditions (such as herniated disc, bulging disc or arthritis in the c spine). Also check the size to make sure you get the right "Fit". For someone with a military neck, the arc4life cervical traction neck pillow puts your neck into proper alignment and gives your neck a gentle stretch at the same time. It works especially well with a traction protocol, neck exercises and chiropractic adjustments.

October 13, 2012

When i first think of a feather pillow, I don't necessarily think about a pillow that is going to give my neck support. At the Neck Pain Relief Shop, we carry a great feather pillow that gives you great neck support while you sleep. It incorporates memory foam into the pillow. This pillow has two specific sections that you can sleep on: 1) One side is filled with the softest premium duck feather and down combination. 2) The other size has an ergonomically designed, temperature-sensitive memory foam support in a secure interior compartment for maximum cervical support.Effective for back and side sleepers.
This feather pillow has a special design that ensures proper neck support without the flattening effect the weight of the sleeper's head has on an ordinary pillow.

January 21, 2012

People can be quite finicky about their neck pillows. Rightfully so, one of the keys to a good nights sleep is using a comfortable neck pillow. You don't want to be tossing and turning at night just to find the "right" position that will help you fall asleep.
Pillows are often designed with your sleeping position in mind: side sleeper, back sleeper, side and back sleeper, even stomach sleepers.

Lets focus on a pillow made just for side sleepers. It is called the Sleepright Side sleeping pillow. All pillows should give your neck good support while sleeping, and this one does not disappoint. It provides maximum support and superior comfort for your head, neck and shoulders. There is a Full facial cradle that gently cradles your face while reducing pressure points on the jaw on ear. This is important because many people have sensitive jaws and ears. With side sleeping in mind, there is 12° shoulder cradle accommodates the acute angle between the head, neck and shoulder to improve spinal alignment between the neck and back. There is a also left and right airway system maximizes airflow to help you experience improved and better breathing.

What is the sleepright side sleeping pillow made of?
Premium viscoelastic memory foam. This pressure-relieving memory foam is sensitive to body temperature and weight, easily conforming to any person's anatomy

At the Neck Pain Relief Shop, This side sleeper pillows comes with a machine-washable, hypoallergenic, cotton-velour cover

What sizes does this pillow come in? This is another advantage of this pillow; it comes in various sizes to accomodate everyone, even one for travelling:

December 18, 2010

I have been working out of town and sleeping in a hotel for the past month, coming home on weekends. I find the Hotel bed comfortable, and my bed wasn't. So I purchased a tempur-pedic mattress as well as pillows yet I am waking up with sore neck this was not happening at Hotel- Help!

Foam neck pillows and mattresses such as the temper-pedic brand work for some people very well.

For other people they need a different kind of neck pillow. There are many other choices: fiber fill, bukwheat, water, air- you just have to find the right one for you. Also, you have to make sure you are sleeping on the right size of neck pillow. This is huge- too many people use a pillow that is too big for them, and that can lead to soreness in the mornings.

A few other ideas for you: Neck exercises can help.
If you are having acute neck pain, try using a cold pack for 10-15 minutes. This can help to decrease inflammation and also provide a pain relieving effect.

November 28, 2010

One complaint that I get about foam neck pillows is that they get hot and uncomfortable. Today I want to talk about Bioposture neck pillows – these foam neck pillows are not your average memory foam pillow. First, they are specially made with multiple identical ventilation chambers that allow the neck pillows to be cool, comfortable and you can maneuver them easily.

What makes this memory foam so special? This 100% biomemoryfoam is the first plant based memory foam made in the united states. All BioPosture™ pillows are are made with biodegradable and rapidly renewable materials, resulting in less impact on landfills and less strain on the environment. BioMemoryFoam™ uses a 100% natural petroleum substitute in its manufacturing process.

Bioposture makes two memory foam neck pillows, one regular neck pillow and one with two neck rolls:

Bio Posture Memory Foam Neck PillowEach BioPosture™ pillow is just the right density to cradle the head in the proper ergonomic position. This pillow is available in standard and queen sizes.

Bio Posture Wave Memory Foam Neck Pillow-If you are looking for different heights in your pillow, conside this wave pillow. These pillows have different height profiles (wave) on either side to provide the exact neck and head support for different upper body shapes. The waves are 3 ½” and 4 ½” high for the low profile pillow. The waves are 4 3/8” and 5 ½” high for the high profile pillow.

If you are looking for an environmentally friendly and ergonomically correct foam neck pillow, consider the bioposture family of pillows.

October 19, 2010

Memory foam pillows are good because they conform to the head and neck. So, just like the commercials you have seen on television, it provides customized support. It will shape to your body allowing for a very comfortable night’s sleep. I find that people who are used to this type of pillow swear by it. Adding the neck rolls into it makes it a big plus. This is the real key- getting a comfortable night’s sleep while maintaining neck posture.

Keep in mind that it’s a little more of a firm pillow, this is why people who like a more firm pillow sometimes prefer a memory pillow.

May 29, 2010

There are a lot of versatile foam neck pillows out on the market today. Can anyone say "TemperPedic" ? Foam is not for everyone, but there are people who love foam neck pillows. The popular memory foam is also known as viscoelastic foam has become popular in the last few years. Memory foam is special because it responds to a person's body heat by molding to the shape of ones head and neck area. This type of neck pillow is great for an acute injury. You may have re-injured an old injury to the neck or suffered whiplash after a motor vehicle accident. It can be comfortable and supportive and accomodating because it molds to your head and neck area.

Another type of foam neck pillow is one that is composed of polyurathane foam which is designed to be more comfortable and durable. These foam neck pillows can be used at any stage of any injury. Polyurethane can also help to maintain correct neck posture as well.

Possible Disadvantages of using a Foam Neck Pillow: Sometimes, memory foam pillows have a strong odor to them, to which some people are sensitive. That's latex, and it is a common allergic substance. Usually though this smell goes away and a person gets used to it. The pillows made out of foam are also heavier than a regular pillow. For others, memory foam gets very hot, and that can also get uncomfortable. Finally, for some people memory foam is just too hard of a surface to sleep on.

Memory Air Core Adjustable- this foam pillow comes with an ability to adjust how much firmness you need in your pillow. Includes an air insert that increases lobe firmness with every pump !

Econowave Foam Neck Pillow- this pillow has two different lobes for different levels of support. Whats so special about the wave? Apparently it allows for air to circulate while soothing your neck at the same time, who knew?

Memory Plus Neck Pillow- Get the best of both worlds of foam: the Base of the pillow is made out of polyurethane foam which promotes good neck posture, and the top layer is memory foam for extra comfort during sleep.

So Yes, I do think that foam neck pillows have a place and a use. Sometimes you need support under your head that is going to accomodate to what you have going on. You may stick with using the memory foam neck pillow forever after; but then again, you may just use it for when you have that extra pain in the neck, and go back to your regular neck pillow !

May 2018

Your Stop for Neck Pain Relief

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